Time to catch up
ABN AMRO sponsors about fifty field hockey clubs in the Netherlands. All with strong roots in society. In the spirit of our purpose ‘Banking for better, for generations to come’ hockey clubs can make a valuable contribution to a sustainable and inclusive society. In our new sponsorship contracts, we want clubs to use at least 30% of our sponsorship money on sustainability and diversity & inclusion. To help them with this, we’re developing special activation programmes under the umbrella of ‘De club van morgen’ (The club of the future).
Equal opportunities
Field hockey is a beautiful sport. Fair play is of paramount importance. Yet, looking at the position of men and women, it is anything but ‘fair’. Women in hockey don’t receive the same opportunities as men do. We’ve launched the programme Time to catch up (De Inhaalslag), to change this
Did you know that...
… about 80% of hockey club presidents are men? ... almost 100% of club treasurers are? ... 70% of coaches in all teams in the Netherlands are men? ... 90 to 100% of coaches of men’s and women’s first teams are men? ... 75% of sponsorship committee members are men? ... women are usually secretaries or members of the events committee? ... men in the premier league earn five to ten times more than women? ... about 80% of sponsorship funds go to men?
Our vision
Inequality between men and women in field hockey mirrors society in general. It is rooted in history but is not in keeping with modern times. We want to be a bank where everyone feels comfortable, regardless of origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, race or sex. In hockey, we will start by focusing on equality between men and women. Later, we will add equal opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and athletes with disabilities.
‘Time to catch up’ programme
We will seek to achieve this through a programme called ‘Time to catch up’. All hockey clubs sponsored by us have kicked off at the same time. The European Hockey Federation is also setting its mind on ‘fair play’ between men and women. Women can now participate in the Euro Hockey League , partly thanks to our lobbying efforts. It’s great to see how everything is all coming together. That’s how we are setting female empowerment in motion. This is not only necessary, it’s high time. In line with ABN AMRO's diversity & inclusion policy. Would you like to know more about our ?
Our approach
Together with the clubs and players, we’re working on creating more equal opportunities in field hockey. We are bringing all activities together on a digital platform called ‘Time to catch up’. The platform offers sessions for board members of hockey clubs focusing on benefits they may not be aware of. For women, there are several inspiring workshops. How do you put your dreams into action?
How do you hold your ground during salary or position negotiations? How can you become more aware of what your body needs? And how can you present yourself more powerfully through personal branding? We are campaigning at major tournaments to raise awareness among players.
Will you join?
With ambassadors like Marijke Fleuren, Kim Lammers, Maria Verschoor and Jorrit Croon, we will bring female empowerment to the hockey field. If you are a member of a club sponsored by ABN AMRO you can, of course, participate in the activities of Time to catch up! The platform is not public, but you can access it through your club. We would like to inform you about the possibilities, timelines for the near future and what you can do to promote female empowerment at your club. Email us your question, and we will get in touch with you.